Andrés Chait has been named the superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), following the resignation of Alberto Carvalho. The Los Angeles Board of Education made the unanimous decision on June 24, confirming Chait's position ahead of its last scheduled meeting before August. Chait had been serving as acting superintendent since February 27, shortly after an FBI raid on Carvalho’s home and office related to an investigation involving a company hired to develop an AI chatbot. Carvalho has not been charged and denies any wrongdoing.

Chait’s appointment marks a shift from the high-profile leadership style of Carvalho, who led LAUSD since February 2022 after a 14-year tenure heading Miami’s school system. Carvalho was known for cultivating a national presence and participating in major education policy discussions. In contrast, Chait is a longtime district insider who began his career as a kindergarten teacher at Queen Anne Place Elementary School and steadily advanced through various district roles, including elementary school principal and regional superintendent. Most recently, he served as LAUSD’s director of operations, overseeing nonacademic functions.

Throughout his time as acting superintendent, Chait has taken on significant leadership responsibilities. He played a key role in completing a four-year strategic plan focused on academic goals and social-emotional readiness, which the Board approved in late June. Chait also helped negotiate agreements to prevent a strike by three major unions representing teachers and staff, a development that received praise from labor leaders and city officials, including Mayor Karen Bass.

Union leaders commended Chait’s collaborative and empathetic approach during these negotiations. Cecily Myart-Cruz, outgoing president of United Teachers Los Angeles, credited him for showing "humanity" and bringing union members "across the finish line." Max Arias of Service Employees International Union Local 99 and Maria Nichols, president of the Associated Administrators of Los Angeles, also highlighted his leadership and responsiveness. However, some critics have raised concerns about the district’s financial outlook, arguing that the negotiated contracts are more than the district can sustainably afford.

LAUSD faces ongoing budget challenges amid rising expenses, decreasing enrollment, and the expiration of federal COVID-19 relief funds. The approved $20.6 billion budget for the 2026-27 school year represents a nearly $2 billion increase over the previous year but projects a revenue shortfall, with anticipated spending exceeding current revenues by over $2 billion. Officials plan to use reserves to cover the gap, though the longevity of these funds is uncertain. Contributing factors to increased costs include significant salary raises, maintained health benefits despite inflation, and the expansion of benefits eligibility to part-time employees. The district currently serves approximately 390,000 students, roughly half the enrollment seen in the early 2000s.

Chait’s annual salary as acting superintendent was $395,867, along with a monthly expense allowance and use of a district car and driver for work purposes. This contrasts with Carvalho’s $440,000 base salary plus a retirement annuity contribution; whether Carvalho received a severance package has not been disclosed by district officials.